Dunbar Pharmaceuticals and IPS Pharma announce distribution agreement
pharmafile | August 18, 2026 | News story | | Dunbar Pharmaceuticals, IPS Pharma, Ireland; UK
Irish pharmaceutical manufacturer Dunbar Pharmaceuticals has made its plant-derived dronabinol active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), WaterClear THC, available in the UK through an agreement with IPS Pharma.
The agreement will allow clinicians to access dronabinol-based medicines through IPS Pharma’s Specials service, which supplies unlicensed medicines for individual patients when a suitable licensed alternative is unavailable.
Dunbar Pharma manufactures the API at its EU GMP-certified facility in Athlone, Ireland. The company said its plant-derived dronabinol is designed to provide a consistent pharmaceutical-grade ingredient for use in oral cannabinoid medicines.
Leah Fletcher, Founder and CEO of Dunbar Pharma, said: “Making WaterClear THC, our GMP-certified dronabinol, available through IPS Pharma marks an important milestone in our efforts to broaden access to pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid medicines.
“Many patients cannot or do not wish to inhale cannabinoid medicines, and they should have access to suitable alternatives.”
Dronabinol, also known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), has historically been produced synthetically. Dunbar Pharma instead uses plant-derived starting materials in its manufacturing process.
IPS Pharma will use the ingredient in cannabis-based products for medicinal use available as 5mg and 10mg capsules, a 25mg/mL oral spray and a 25mg/mL oily solution. These products may be prescribed under the UK’s Specials framework where clinically appropriate.
Ian McFarlane, Director of Strategic Partnerships at IPS Pharma, said the partnership would help improve access to regulated oral treatment options.
The UK launch follows Dunbar Pharma’s entry into the German market earlier this year and forms part of its expansion into regulated pharmaceutical markets across Europe.
